Once upon a time was only the start . . . welcome to the Fairytale Woods. The wicked witch is on trial in a hilarious secret diary from million-copy bestselling author, comedian and actor Ben Miller.
The wicked witch has gone one cackle too far and is faced with a a four week wickedness management class, or a lifetime in jail.
Spending all her time with stuck-up witches and her ex-best friend, now a total goody two-shoes, leading the course isn’t Wendoline’s idea of a good time, but she’ll do anything it takes to get her powers back. Even with a pompous king and queen to impress, a smarmy Prince Charming to prove wrong, and her own daughter, Rapunzel, to win over, Wendoline is not buying into the whole using magic for good thing, not when being WICKED is just so much FUN. There's potions, curses, and a whole heap of trouble to miss out on . . . with 100% wickedness guaranteed, what could possibly go wrong?
Come down to the Fairytale Woods and discover what your favourite characters are really thinking in the bestselling series from Ben Miller, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli. Diary of a Big Bad Wolf and Diary of a Puss in Boots available now.
Wendoline is in jail for kidnapping Rapunzel and keeping her in a tower. Her magic has been taken away by the bracelet she wears in jail.
She is angry at her for abandoning her in jail. Rapunzel is now dating Prince Charming.
Wendoline has a chance to escape jail by attending a wicked management course for four weeks. Along with her are other wicked witches. If they can learn to put their wickedness in check and become good witches, they would not need to go to jail.
It is fun to see how the witches act towards each other. Agatha is the course facilitator. She is an old friend of Wendoline.
It is a fun read. The witches found out that they are not that bad after all and need release once in a while.
My 6yo daughter read this and then demanded that I read it, and I am glad she did.
This book is hilarious. It is laugh out loud funny with how angry and deranged the Wicked Witch is at her situation.
We also get a bit of worldbuilding in the Fairytale Woods with characters from other books (Big Bad Wolf and Puss in Boots) and other famous fairytale stories.
The art is fantastic and the formatting of the diary really brings the story to life.
Ben Miller is now an auto-buy in our house and we are on the hunt for more
Diary of a Wicked Witch: Written by Ben Miller Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli’s Once upon a time was only the start . . . welcome to the Fairytale Woods. The wicked witch is on trial in a hilarious secret diary The wicked witch has gone one cackle too far and is faced with a four week wickedness management class, or a lifetime in jail.
Spending all her time with stuck-up witches and her ex-best friend, now a total goody two-shoes, leading the course isn’t Wendoline’s idea of a good time, but she’ll do anything it takes to get her powers back. Even with a pompous king and queen to impress, a smarmy Prince Charming to prove wrong, and her own daughter, Rapunzel, to win over, Wendoline is not buying into the whole using magic for good thing, not when being WICKED is just so much FUN. There's potions, curses, and a whole heap of trouble to miss out on . . . with 100% wickedness guaranteed, what could possibly go wrong?
Come down to the Fairytale Woods and discover what your favourite characters are really thinking
This is part of the Fairy Tale Woods series - this series I use in my story sessions for years 2 and 3 at school. Our favourite being The Diary of a Big Bad Wolf. This book is told through a series of diary entries with some entries being only 1 sentence long. These diary entities are witty, sometimes mischievous but all told through the eyes of the main characters - this time being The Wicked Witch. But the question is, is she really as wicked as people think. The design of this book is brilliant - peel back the flyleaf to discover a hidden illustration, and a map.( love a map)
The illustrations are warm, funny and fit the book perfectly.
I am looking forward to seeing which fairy tale character will be next.
Ben Miller’s Diary of a Wicked Witch is an enchanting addition to the Fairy Tale Woods series, bringing a fresh twist to familiar folklore. Told through diary entries, it gives readers a witty, sometimes mischievous, insight into the life of a witch who may not be quite as wicked as her reputation suggests.
The design is a delight – peel back the flyleaf and you’ll find a gorgeous hidden cover illustration, and there's also a detailed map that helps situate readers in the magical world (I do love a book with a map). Elisa Paganelli’s illustrations add warmth, humour and atmosphere, perfectly complementing Miller’s playful storytelling.
Aimed at confident younger readers who enjoy humour, fantasy and fairytales with a modern spin, it would also appeal to reluctant readers as the diary format encourages engagement. The book balances adventure with heart, opening the door for discussions about appearances versus reality, and how labels like “wicked” don’t always tell the full story.
Evelyn (age 10) says "it was a very good book, I got it for my birthday. Ben Miller does amazing books, my favourite bit was the bit at the end and when they were going trick or treating. I recommend this book for people who love diaries....and don't be wicked!!!".
Alice (age 7) says "I love this book! it is about a witch called Wendoline, and she is 100% WICKED, she tries to defeat Prince Charming, but he ends up in the tower at the end. This book is worth 10 stars, spoiler alert. Hope you like it. The end."
This series brings me such joy. This one is about Mother Gothel (from Rapunzel) and how she needs to learn to fight her wickedness, and even has to join a group to become reformed. Properly made me smile and perfect for spooky season!
My 10 year old asked me to read this book. I loved Ben Miller’s The Day I Fell into a Fairytale, but this book was lacking. I know it’s just a fun book for kids based on the Witch’s perspective, but I still expected a little more.
A fun story that shows, while it may be fun to be wicked, making other people happy feels just as good, and that we all need a safe outlet for mischief from time-to-time.
(Miller himself said that the 'Wicked awareness' course was inspired by speed awareness courses - it shows, and it makes these scenes all the more funnier.)
I love Ben Miller, and this book didn’t disappoint! 🕷️🕸️Even though it’s aimed at younger readers, I thoroughly enjoyed the mischievous humour and clever twist on fairytales 🧙🏻♀️